DARRAGH O’Keeffe continued his fine recent winning run when completing a double in the closing two races at Limerick on Thursday evening.

The Cork man had to be at his strongest when Tippin And Tappin made a mistake two out, and the pair rallied home by half a length in the closing strides of the Treaty Plant Hire Handicap Chase.

Trainer Enda Bolger said of the 11/2 chance: “We bought him for a four-year-old point-to-point horse, but he has just taken a lot of time. He got his head in front in a point the last day when he got a great ride from Luke Kelleher, who gave him his confidence.

“I must say Darragh gave him a great ride and we’ll tip away now for the summer. Aubrey McMahon bought him for the (Storytellers) syndicate and his dad Luke is involved as well, so they’re delighted.”

Park runs a big race

Priory Park (10/3) brought up the brace for O’Keeffe when leading home a one-two for trainer Edward O’Grady in the Gairdin Glas Handicap Chase. Owned by J.P. McManus, the four-time point-to-point winner held off running-on stablemate Ceroc by two and a quarter lengths.

O’Keeffe said: “I thought he’d run a big race as I was unlucky the last day over a shorter distance at Killarney, as the second last fence was omitted and they got away from me.

“All he seemed to do was stay on and he was up in trip today. He jumped well, it worked out grand as Philip’s horse (Enright, on Ceroc) was jumping left, so I let him slip through on the inside. I was able to let him fill up and he seemed to enjoy himself when he got to the front. Edward sweetened him up in point-to-points and he has his confidence back.”

Poetry In Motion

Gavin Cromwell won the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Chase with 4/5 favourite Je T’ai Porte.

Owned by the Poetry In Motion Syndicate, the seven-year-old made almost all of the running, and stayed on strongly to beat Justabitofyours by a length and three-quarters.

Winning jockey Keith Donoghue reported: “She missed one fence up the back straight, but is a good jumper and was entitled to win on ratings. The favourite (Look To The West) coming out was a big help and she just about saw out the trip today.

“It wasn’t a strong race, but she got the job done. She has been a great mare, has won on the flat, over hurdles and jumps and it is nice for Troy Cullen (race planner), who is involved with her and is a big part of the yard.”

Intellotto’s smart start

INTELLOTTO made a winning debut over fences in the Summer Racing @ Limerick Racecourse Beginners Chase. Owned by Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, the Joseph O’Brien-trained 8/11 favourite established a clear lead from two out to beat Jigoro by an eased-down 10 lengths.

Jockey J.J. Slevin said: “He was entered in Killarney the other day, but Joseph decided to wait and do a bit more schooling with him. He is a high-class hurdling horse, and it looks like he’s going to run to that level over fences. He could be an exciting novice for the summer, into the autumn. He’s a clever horse, with plenty of scope and size, and it was a nice first run over fences.”

Sean ‘Get’s It Right

The Sean Aherne-trained Get It Right made all under Sean O’Keeffe to get off the mark in the opening MC Roofing And Guttering Handicap Chase. Sent off 10/1, the Eoin Barry-owned gelding asserted from the last to score by a length and a half.

Aherne reported: “He had a race at his mercy at Bellewstown last year, so it was great to get a race with him. He is an idle oul’ fella so we tried something different by putting cheekpieces on today, and it worked. The five fences down the back straight are a big advantage here. He had been frustrating and had a lot of problems, but we’re delighted to win. He likes that top of the ground so we’ll keep going for the summer.”

KIEREN Buckley partnered the Eddie and Patrick Harty-trained Clonshire River to win the Anglo Printers Handicap Chase. Carrying the colours of Crevan O’Grady, the 9/1 chance stayed on well close home to prevail by a length and a half in what was his first win since a point-to-point four years ago.

Eddie Harty commented: “It has been a long time coming with him. His very first run for us was a very good run, when he looked like he could go on to things, but he went backwards.

“He has had bits of issues in fairness to him, but likes the summer ground and we freshened him up since his last run. He was ready for a run, this race just happened to come up and I knew the ground would be quicker down here.

“The conditions of the race suited and Kieren has always said that two and a half miles would be well within his compass and he was right. His attitude has never been bad and his jumping won it for him really today.”

Theory is too cool

Iceberg Theory held onto a narrow lead after the last to beat Boston Rover by two lengths in the Munster Drilling Beginners Chase.

Sent off 5/2, Conor Stone-Walsh was quick to avoid a collision on board the John Brennan-owned gelding when Boston Rover came off his line on the approach to the last.

Trainer Paul Nolan said: “He bends his knee and wouldn’t want the ground any faster, but it was hard not to take our chance, with the race being for horses rated 120 or less.

“There is no point taking on the better horses and, it’s amazing, not many of those better ones go out on grass at this time of year and many are still around.

“The maiden hurdle he won didn’t turn out to be anything but he had a few nice runs, he stays well and had a good run the last day at Wexford, when his jumping was sketchy early-on.”